Madurai Aug 12 :- A pall of gloom descended on T Pudupatti in Thummukkundu of Madurai district, after news broke that rifleman and local resident Lakshmanan D, 24, was killed in an encounter with terrorists in J&K on Thursday. His mother Andal was inconsolable. CM M K Stalin ordered a solatium of ₹20 lakh to his family.
The mortal remains of rifleman D Lakshmanan, who was among three Army personnel killed in an encounter with terrorists at Pargal in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, are expected to arrive at his native village T Pudupatti in Madurai on Saturday. Governor R N Ravi and chief minister M K Stalin expressed their condolences to the family. The CM has ordered a compensation of ’20 lakh to the family.
A pall of gloom descended on the village in Thummukkundu panchayat after the grim news was conveyed to his parents by his unit. The agrarian village on the Usilampatti -Thirumangalam road comprises about 50 houses. Lakshmanan and his twin brother Ramar wanted to join the Army together after graduation. While Lakshmanan studied BCom, Ramar completed BBA. They prepared hard for the recruitment but only Lakshmanan got through and joined the Army in 2019 while Ramar stayed back to take care of the family’s agricultural land.
“When he got through the recruitment it was a proud moment for us. My father Dharmaraj and mother Andal never discouraged us from joining defence services. They wanted both of us to join the Army,” Ramar said. Andal wailed inconsolably hugging the soldier’s childhood photograph. Ramar said that Lakshmanan regularly calls family members and friends. “He called the other day and was keen on talking to as many people as possible. And we are getting his death message today,” he said.
In his message, governor R N Ravi said the nation will always be indebted and grateful for his devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice for sovereignty and integrity of the nation. “In this hour of enormous grief, I pray to the Almighty to rest his soul in eternal peace and give his family strength to bear this irreparable loss,” the statement said. The chief minister said in his message that he was shocked to learn of the death of three soldiers including one from Tamil Nadu.
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